1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to agricultural implements, and, more particularly, to suspension systems for row cleaners used with such implements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Farmers use a wide variety of seeding and fertilizing implements to make a trough in the soil as the implement is towed across a field and to place seeds or fertilizer in such troughs. When these agricultural procedures are practiced using a no tillage or minimum tillage approach, any residue from the previous crop still remains in the field. The remaining residue or mulch can interfere with the disk, shank/knife or other device forming the trough so row cleaners have been adopted as a result.
Row cleaners are positioned on each seeding or fertilizing unit ahead of the ground penetrating component. The row cleaners usually consist of star or serrated blades oriented to interlace with one another and to engage the ground ahead of the path of the component which forms the trough. The movement of the implement through the field causes the row cleaner to clear the accumulated residue and mulch to facilitate a more effective formation of the trough. One of the issues confronting the use of row cleaners is the amount of down force applied to the star blades. This is because the conditions of the field vary in terms of moisture, debris accumulation and other factors. Accordingly, it is necessary to apply variable amounts of down force.
While suspension systems for row cleaners have been proposed that vary the down force, they are complicated and require an additional tool for manipulating the force. Owing to normal field conditions, it is likely that the tool can be lost or mislaid.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an extremely simplified and self contained system for adjusting the down force on a row cleaner.